Aid device for the movement and/or rehabilitation of one or more fingers of a hand

Abstract

An aid device for the movement and rehabilitation hand fingers includes a exoskeleton, an articulated glove or a wearable mechanism configured to be positioned on the back of at least one finger and to be mechanically constrained to the finger, and a motorized system exerting a movement or a change in the configuration of the exoskeleton. The exoskeleton includes a rigid elements arranged on a row one behind the other along a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal extension of the finger and articulated with each other to make a modular underactuated structure and obtain maximum shape and kinematic adaptability to the fingers, particularly to follow the extension and flexing movement of the fingers. The motorized system includes pulling and/or pushing elements that act on one or more of the elements of the exoskeleton to produce finger movements and particularly the extension and flexing movements of the fingers.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aid device for movement and rehabilitation of one or more fingers of a hand, comprising:
 an exoskeleton configured to be positioned on the back of at least one finger and to be mechanically constrained to the finger; and   a motorized system exerting a movement or a change in a configuration of said exoskeleton,   wherein said exoskeleton comprises an underactuated modular structure having a plurality of substantially identical rigid elements arranged on a row and articulated with each other,   wherein said rigid elements are arranged in said row one behind another along a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal extension of the finger and are articulated with each other to follow one or more finger movements selected from the group consisting of extension, flexion, adduction, abduction, or opposition of thumb,   wherein said motorized system comprises one or both of pulling or pushing elements that act on one or more of said rigid elements of the exoskeleton to produce said one more finger movements,   wherein said rigid elements of said exoskeleton are constrained with each other by a continuous longitudinal element comprising a chain having links articulated with each other according to first parallel articulation axes, said first parallel articulation axes being oriented parallel to articulation axes of finger phalanges in an extension and closure movement thereof, and   wherein the rigid elements pivot with respect to each other according to second parallel articulation axes, said second parallel articulation axes being oriented parallel to the articulation axes of the finger phalanges, and being movable near and away from each other, each of said rigid elements being pivotally fastened about an axis of articulation of two links of the chain;   further comprising at least one pulling element passing through the rigid elements and freely slidable therethrough, said pulling element being flexible and constrained at one end to an end element placed at a distal end of the finger and at an opposite end to a pulling member.   
     
     
         2 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein each plurality of rigid elements comprises a variable number of rigid elements or translates along an alignment axis to modify a length of the chain depending on different dimensions of a patient's fingers. 
     
     
         3 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein said rigid elements comprise blocks or plates of a substantially rectangular annular shape, having a predetermined thickness, and are provided with a support surface and a through hole for a longitudinal articulation element, inner walls of the through hole at posts oriented perpendicular to the articulation axes being provided with holes which engage opposite ends of a pin provided on a chain element and extending on opposite sides of the chain element at an articulation axis, and wherein each rigid element is provided with at least one through hole obtained in a direction of the adjacent rigid elements and configured to be passed through by the pulling element. 
     
     
         4 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein the end element placed at the distal end of the finger is locked and constrained to the pulling element. 
     
     
         5 . The aid device according to  claim 3 , wherein each rigid element is articulated at an articulation axis of a link of the chain element, there being provided at least one intermediate articulation axis between two adjacent rigid elements, a rigid element being not articulated on said intermediate articulation axis. 
     
     
         6 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein the rigid elements are mounted on a supporting structure coupled to the hand and comprising a stiffening disc adapted to adhere to a palm of the hand. 
     
     
         7 . The aid device according to  claim 6 , wherein the supporting structure is configured as a continuous glove. 
     
     
         8 . The aid device according to  claim 6 , wherein the supporting structure comprises at least one fingerstall end segment for the distal end of the finger and at least one intermediate annular segment fastenable to the finger. 
     
     
         9 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein the pulling elements comprise at least one actuating unit for a pulling action which is mounted on a back side of a wristband, said pulling elements being operatively connectable to each pull cable so that the pulling action is contemporaneously exerted by all pull cables, by each pull cable selectively and independently from each other, or by sub-groups of the pull cables, wherein the pulling action is exerted contemporaneously for the pull cables of a corresponding sub-group. 
     
     
         10 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a differential mechanism interposed between at least one pulling unit and at least two pulling elements for controlling at least two pulling element with a single pulling unit. 
     
     
         11 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , further comprising position sensors and force sensors connected to an electronic unit operating and controlling movement depending on signals detected by said position and force sensors. 
     
     
         12 . The aid device according to  claim 11 , wherein the exoskeleton is coupled to forefinger, ring finger, middle finger and little finger, and the pulling elements comprise four actuating units, each of said actuating units acting on a single finger, the electronic unit being configured to independently control the exoskeleton on each finger. 
     
     
         13 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , further comprising members driving and transmitting exoskeleton movements corresponding to adduction and/or abduction movements and opposition movements of the thumb, said members being individually activatable or deactivatable to let the adduction/abduction movements and the thumb movements free, to lock the fingers in a predetermined position, or to actively actuate finger movement. 
     
     
         14 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a system that executes a logic program managing and controlling the exoskeleton configured as a videogame or a predetermined program, and a system that changes difficulty level thereof or of an associated action based on achievement of predetermined motor performances. 
     
     
         15 . The aid device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chain articulating the rigid elements with each other is composed of a continuous and one-piece element that forms a flexible connection element composed of bridges of a material or of film-shaped hinges to which the rigid elements are coupled and distributed spaced from each other along a longitudinal extension of said connection element to generate an overall deformation of the exoskeleton according to a preferential flexion plane. 
     
     
         16 . The aid device according to  claim 15 , wherein the flexible connection element is made at least of two different materials. 
     
     
         17 . The aid device according to  claim 15 , wherein the flexible connection element is made at least partially or for its entire extension of an elastically flexible material. 
     
     
         18 . An aid device for movement and rehabilitation of one or more fingers of a hand, comprising:
 an exoskeleton configured to be positioned on a back of at least one finger and to be mechanically constrained to the finger; and   a motorized system exerting a movement or a change in a configuration of said exoskeleton,   wherein said exoskeleton comprises an underactuated modular structure, comprising a plurality of substantially identical rigid elements arranged on a row and articulated with each other,   wherein said rigid elements are arranged in said row one behind another along a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal extension of the finger and are articulated with each other to follow at least one or more finger movements selected from the group consisting of extension, flexion, adduction, abduction, opposition of thumb,   wherein said motorized system for at least a part of said movements comprises pulling and pushing elements that act on one or more of said rigid elements of the exoskeleton to produce said at least one finger movement, and   wherein said rigid elements of said exoskeleton are constrained to each other by a continuous longitudinal element composed of a flexible or elastic sequence of connection elements, the individual rigid elements being coupled to the continuous longitudinal element at expected distances from each other, said continuous longitudinal element being made to have an overall deformation along a preferential flexion plane.   
     
     
         19 . The aid device according to  claim 18 , wherein the preferential flexion plane is oriented to correspond to articulation axes of phalanges of the finger in an extension and closure movement thereof, and wherein at least one pulling element is passing through the rigid elements and is freely slidable therethrough, said pulling element being flexible and constrained at one end to an end element placed at a distal end of the finger and at an opposite end to a pulling element. 
     
     
         20 . The aid device according to  claim 18 , wherein each plurality of rigid elements comprises a variable number of rigid elements or translates along an alignment axis to modify a length of the chain depending on different dimensions of a patient's fingers.